Disposal apparatus



July 12, 1955 H. HIGER DISPOSAL APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1952 INVENTOR. HARRY mesa AT TOR HEY.

July 12, 1955 H. HIGER DISPOSAL APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 I ia a Filed June 25, 1952 INVENTOR. HARRY H IGER ATTORNEY.

y 2, 1955 H. HIGER DISPOSAL APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 25, 1952 A M i m w INVENTOR. HARRY HIGER 4qf%,%w

ATTORNEY United States Patent DISPOSAL APPARATUS Harry Higer, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 25, 1952, Serial No. 295,539

filairns. (Cl. 241-42) This invention relates to a refuse disposal apparatus and is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial Number 245,680 filed September 8, 1951, now Patent No. 2,670,774. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel disposal apparatus which is particularly adapted for the disposing of fowl feathers and other articles heretofore not properly handled by present disposal apparatus.

It is the object of this invention to provide a novel disposal apparatus which is adapted to receive fowl feathers, for illustration, and which will cut the same up into fine particles, and wash the same through a suitable outlet for disposal into the sewer.

It is the further object of this invention to provide an improved and more simplified apparatus than that set forth in my copending application and which will be more effective and will be less expensive to manufacture.

These and other objects will be seen from the folloving specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the present disposal apparatus with a portion of the front wall thereof cut away for illustration.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, the disposal apparatus housing includes the bottom horizontal wall 11, upright rear wall 12 and forwardly spaced upright front wall element 13. The side walls 14 and 15 are shown in Fig. 4; and spaced forwardly of front wall element 13 is an additional parallel spaced upright wall element 16, defining between front wall element 13 and wall element 16 the disposal space 17 down through which the cut up material is washed and discharged.

Within an upper portion of the above described housing, is a chambered member adapted to receive the feathers or other material to be cut up into finely divided particles. This chambered member is formed by the downwardly and forwardly inclined wall element 13 which at its upper end is adjacent rear wall 12, and which at its lower end terminates in the horizontally extending portion 19 which extends substantially to the front wall element 13, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The refuse receiving chamber 22. is furthermore bounded by the upright side walls 20 and 21 shown in Fig. 4, and has over its top surface cover 23 with handle 24 posal housing.

2,712,901 Patented July 12, 1955 hinged as at 25 so that by manual lifting of cover 23 the feathers or other refuse may be inserted within chamber 22. Access to the forward portion of chamber 22 is provided by the forwardly arranged cover 26 with its handle 27 and which is hinged as at 25, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Covering the opposite side of the present housing adjacent the above described chambered member is a downwardly inclined top wall element 23 which terminates at its lower end at the side wall 21 of the chamber 22 adjacent the lateral inlet opening 29 formed within side wall 21 to thereby define a downwardly inclined chute passageway 39 whereby material may be laterally introduced into the disposing chamber 22, as shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 2, electric motor 31 is preferably mounted upon bottom wall 11, and its drive shaft 32 has a pulley 33 secured upon its outer end which is connected to a second pulley 34 secured upon shaft 35 which extends into the conventional speed reducer 36. Pulleys 33 and 34 are interconnected by a suitable belt 34' whereby said motor effectively drives speed reducer 36.

Shaft 35 has secured adjacent its outer end a pair of puileys 37 and 37 which are interconnected with a corresponding pair of pulleys 44 and 44 secured upon the horizontally arranged rotatable shaft 38, Fig. 2. Cutting wheel supporting shaft 33 is journaled at one end within the bearing 39 secured at 49 to rear wall 12; and the opposite end of shaft 38 extends loosely through opening 41 in front wall element 13 and is supported and journaled by the second bearing 42 secured at 43 to the wall element 16. Pulleys 37 and 37' are respectively interconnected with pulleys and 44' secured on shaft 38 by the belts 45 and 45. Circular wheel 45, with its hub elements 47 and 48, is arranged forwardly of front wall element 13 within chamber 17 and is suitably secured to shaft 3% for rotation therewith.

As shown in Fig. 5, the heavy wheel 46 has formed upon its interior surface a plurality of angularly related elongated slots 49 within which are elongated blades 5%, hich are retained within said slots by the screws 51. There are also provided a plurality of alternately arranged s'norter angularly positioned slots 52 within the interior surface of wheel 46 within which are inserted the cutting blades 53 retained in said slots by the screws 54.

As shown in Fig. 6, the blades are so formed to provide a sharpened cutting edge 55 which extends outwardly of the corresponding surface of wheel 46. These elongated sharpened edges 55 are efiective upon rotation of the wheel 46 for cutting the refuse, such as feathers, into finely divided particles.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be apparent from the connections between motor 31 and shaft 33 that a relatively high speed of 1,000 to 2,000 revolutions per minute can be attained by the cutting wheel 46; and this can be varied as desired by regulating the diameters of the pulleys 37, 37, 44 and 4 Speed reducer 36 has a reduced speed shaft 56 projecting therefrom upon which is secured a sprocket gear 57, which is interconnected with a second sprocket gear 61 secured to horizontally arranged shaft 58, by means of sprocket chain d2.

Shaft 58 is parallel to shaft 38 and is journaled and supported at its opposite ends Within the bearings 59 and 69 respectively secured to the front and rear Walls 12 and 13, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2.

Bevel gear 63, secured at 64 to shaft 53, is in mesh with bevel gear 65 at so to the lower end of upright shaft 67. This shaft is suitably journaled in an upright position within the bearing 68 carried by the bracket arm 69 secured at 76 to side wall of the present dis- Bevel gear 71 is secured at 72 to the upper end of shaft 67 and is in mesh with bevel gear 73 secured upon the horizontal shaft 74 as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. Shaft 74 is supported and journaled at one end within bushing 75 which is secured to wall 21 as at 76, and the opposite end ofsaid shaft is journaled and supported within the bearing 77 suitably mounted upon a portion of the disposal'housing.

Shaft 74 has secured thereto a sprocket gear 78 for driving roller 83 at a reduced speed, in the manner hereafter described. I

Referring to Fig. 4, there are formed within the lower portions of the chamber side walls 20 and 21 oppositely arranged upright slots 79 adapted to receive shafts 80 and 81 as shown in Fig. 4. Said shafts at their inner ends have a universal connection 31 with the oppositely arranged central supporting shafts 82 of roller 83, which has a series of elongated horizontally arranged teeth 84 7 formed throughout its surface, as shown in Fig. 3.

The shafts S and 80 are journaled and supported within the bearings 85, which are secured to the upright plates 86 mounted uponthe outside of the chamber walls and 21, .as illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 7. Plates 86 are slidably retained with respect to said walls by the'guide retaining plates 87 which are arranged upon opposite sides of the plates 36 and overlap their longitudinal edges, limiting said plates to vertical movements with respect to side Walls 20 and 21.

Referring to Fig. 4, sprocket gear 88 is secured to shaft and is interconnected with the above described sprocket gear 78 by the sprocket chain 89. Consequently it is apparent that the speed reducer 36 effects rotation of shaft 58 at a reduced speed, which shaft in turn through shaft'67 effects a still further reduced speed of rotation of shaft 74 which controls the rotation of the feed roller 83 by means of the sprocket chain 89. Consequently said roller will operate at a substantially reduced speed with respect to the speed of rotation of the wheel 46.

Chamber 22 which receives the refuse or feathers to be cut up and disposed, delivers such material along the surface of the inclined wall element 18-19 to the feed roller 83, which is rotating in a clockwise direction' and which is adapted for moving the refuse in a compact form between said roller and bottom Wall 19 for delivery to the cutting blades 50 and 53 in cutting wheel 46. Chamber 22 has an upright front wall element 90 which is cut away throughout'anarc of a circle as at 90 defining an outlet opening 96, Fig. 3, through whichthe compacted feathers or other material is delivered for engagement with the various cutting blades upon the rotating wheel 46 Rectangular gate .91is positioned within chamber 22 and is downwardly'and rearwardly inclined, loosely resting on'roller 83, and being hinged at its upper end at 92 to the chamber front wall 90. Gate 91. along its lower longitudinal edge is spaced from the bottom Wall 19 defining the throated inlet opening 93 for the refuse or, feathers which may be delivered to any upper portion of the receiving compartment 22. Said gate consequently guides the material so as to move towards roller 83 and towards its lower portion so that the said refuse will move between said roller and the wall 19'.

'In cooperation with the lower wall 19 of chamber 22 as well as the roller 83, there-is provided an elongated horizontally arranged stationary shearing blade 94 which has'-an upwardly curved material receiving surface 95 which is adapted to deliver the compacted material through opening 96 for engagementby the high speed rotating cutting blades 50 and 53. Said blades rotate in-a plane closely adjacent the sharpened forward edge 7 97 of stationary blade 94 for cutting'the 'material .into very short lengths of fine particles.

' 'Forwardly arranged elongated backing plate 98 provides a positioning stop for blade 94 and'likewise'a positioning stop for the second downwardly spacedhorizontally arranged stationary cutting blade rests upon front wall element 13 and also has a horizontally elongated forwardly projected sharpened edge 99 which is closely adjacent the plane of rotation of cutting blades 50 and 53. This second stationary blade 99 provides a second shearing edge for further cutting the material before disposing of the same down into the disposal chamber 17;

Referring to Fig. 3, the cutup material will be washed downwardly in the manner the upright space 100'between Wheel 46 and front wall element 13 so that said finely cutup material will be.

in the operation of the present disposal apparatus water i is employed for washing the material downwardly'within the chamber 22, with respect to the wheel 46 and through 1 the chambers 17, 100, and 103 and through the discharge ciprocal element 112 forming the pipe 104. For this purpose there is provided a fluid supply pipe 109 joined to a conventional source of water under pressure and fluid control valve 110 is interposed in said pipe as illustrated in Fig. 2, and is controlled by'the repart of the solenoid 111, which is energized upon energization of motor 31 in the manner hereafter described. Water inlet pipe 113 from said valve is arranged upon the outside of chamber 22 at the upper portion of side wall 21, as shown in Fig. 4, and is supported by means of the spaced brackets 114, shown in Fig. 2. Pipe 113 has a laterally arranged branch pipe 115 which is arrangedacrossthe upperrear end of chamber 22 adjacent the upper portion of wall '18 and has .a plurality of longitudinally spaced water outlet openings 116 throughout its length, ,pipe 115 being closed by the cap 117. Pipe 115 is suitably supported by the bracket 118 as shown in Fig; 3.

Water delivery pipe 113 has a secondforwardly arranged laterally extending water delivery pipe 119' with longitudinally spaced water outlets 120 secured to the interior surface of chamber front wall 90 along its upper edge by the brackets 121. By this construction, the entire interior of the receiving chamber 22 will receive a con tinuous spray of water during operation of the motor 31';

In other words, there will be a continuous water supply throughout the operation of the disposal apparatus. This water will wet down the material, such as feathers, so

that the same will be washed through the throated opening 93 into the path of rotation of the lower portion of the roller 83 which not only compacts the material but moves it forwardly presenting the same to the rotating blades 50 and 53 upon the high speed rotating wheel 46. Forwardly arranged water pipe 119 has an extension 122 through the side wall 20 and has downwardly inclined delivery outlet 123, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for supplying a stream of water or spray'upon the outside of wall 90 and with respect to the disposal chamber 17 within which wheel, 46 rotates. Water delivery pipe 113'has a j similar extension 124 at its forward end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which is adapted for supplying additional fluid to the rotating wheel 46 upon the outside of wall 90, as well 7 as upon the outside of the Wall element 13.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is provided tending Water delivery pipe 125 whichv terminates at its rear end in the opening 126 in the bottom wall 19,. 1 The opposite end of pipe 125 terminates in the'water outlet 127 which is adjacent to and directly above the lower sta-.

cutting blade. 99. Said hereafter described through a forwardly extionary shearing blade 99 for supplying additional fluid into the space 1% shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 2, there is diagrammatically shown an electrical circuit for the disposal apparatus which includes the two power lines 128 and 134. Safety switch 129 is connected to power line 128 and is in series with a manually operable switch 130 which is connected by the lead wire 131 to motor 31 for starting the same. The safety switch 129 is furthermore shown in Fig. 4 as having a longitudinally extending upright element which is cooperatively engaged by the door 23 so that it will be impossible to ener ize the motor 31 unless the door 23 is closed as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so that the undersurface of said door engages the safety switch 129 as in Fig. 4, to effectively close the electrical circuit to the lead wire 131 when the push button switch 139 is engaged.

Lead wire 132 is connected to motor 31 at one end and at its other end is connected with water control solenoid 111. Return lead wire 133 connects solenoid 111 with the second power line 134 to thereby complete the electrical circuit.

By this construction if the cover 23 is closed, closing the safety switch 129, the manual application of the push button 13%; will not only close the electrical circuit through motor 31, but also through the water valve controlling solenoid 111, allowing the flow of water through the various pipes 113, 115, 119, 123, 124 and 125 throughout the operation of the disposal apparatus.

As above described while the wheel 46 may preferably rotate at 1,000 revolutions per minute, for illustration, it has been found in the present embodiment of the invention that the roller will rotate at the relatively slow speed of three revolutions per minute for obtaining the best results. Naturally, these speeds are variable depending upon the operation of the disposal apparatus as well as c the material to be disposed and the volume thereof.

Referring to Fig. 3, stationary blade back up plate 98 has a plurality of bolts 98 threaded therethrough operatively bearing against blades 94 and 99 for adjusting the same outwardly with respect to the rotatable wheel 46.

described my invention, reference should now be had to the claims which follow for determining the scope thereof.

claim:

l. in a refuse disposal apparatus, a chambered member having a refuse receiving downwardly inclined bottom wall, an enclosed downwardly depending disposal passageway beyond the lower end of said bottom wall openin into said chambered member and adapted for communication with a sewer drain, a roller rotatably journaled within said chambered member transversely of its length spaced above and cooperable with said bottom wall adjacent said passageway for compressing and moving said refuse towards said passageway, an upright imperforate wheel rotatably journaled within said passageway substantially closing off said chambered member from said passageway, a plurality of angularly related elongated cutting blades secured within the inner face of said wheel with their cutting edges projecting therefrom closely adjacent the end of said bottom wall and movable in a plane parallel to the roller axis for finely cutting said refuse into small particles carrying the same downwardly through said passageway, a water supply pipe mounted upon the exterior of said chambered member, a plurality of perforated pipes joined to said supply pipe and extending laterally through said chambered member for supplying water thereinto, to said roller and to said passageway, a control valve in said supply pipe, a solenoid for opening said valve, an electric motor joined to said roller and wheel for driving the same, a push button switch, and an electrical circuit from a power source to said motor, switch and solenoid, so that water will flow during energization of said motor.

2. in a refuse disposal apparatus, a chambered member having a refuse receiving downwardly inclined bottom wall, an enclosed downwardly depending disposal passage way beyond the lower end of said bottom wall opening into said chambered member and adapted for communication with a sewer drain, a roller rotatably journaled within said chambered member transversely of its length spaced above and cooperable with said bottom wall adjacent said passageway for compressing and moving said refuse towards said passageway, an upright imperforate wheel rotatably journaled within said passageway substantially closing off said chambered member from said passageway, a plurality of angularly related elongated cutting blades secured within the inner face of said wheel with their cutting edges projecting therefrom closely adjacent the end of said bottom wall and movable in a plane parallel to the roller axis for finely cutting said refuse into small particles carrying the same downwardly through said passageway, a water supply pipe mounted upon the exterior of said chambered member, a plurality of perforated pipes joined to said supply pipe and extending laterally through said chambered member for supplying water thereinto, to said roller and to said passageway, a control valve in said supply pipe, a solenoid for opening said valve, an electric motor joined to said roller and wheel for driving the same, a push button switch, an electrical circuit from a power source to said motor, switch and solenoid, so that water will flow during energization of said motor, a cover hinged upon said chambered member, and a normally open switch in said electric circuit and mounted upon said chambered member adjacent said cover and closable upon closing of said cover.

3. In a refuse disposal apparatus, a chambered member having a refuse receiving downwardly inclined bottom wall, an enclosed downwardly depending disposal passageway beyond the lower end of said bottom wall opening into said chambered member and adapted for communication with a sewer drain, a roller rotatably journaled within said chambered member transversely of its length spaced above and cooperable with said bottom wall adjacent said passageway for compressing and moving said refuse towards said passageway, an upright solid wheel rotatably journaled within said passageway substantially closing off said chambered member from said passageway, a plurality of angularly related elongated cutting blades secured within the inner face of said wheel with their cutting edges projecting therefrom closely adjacent the end of said bottom wall and movable in a plane parallel to the roller axis for finely cutting said refuse into small particles carrying the same downwardly through said passageway, and an elongated horizontally arranged cutting blade transversely secured within said chambered member at the lower end of said bottom wall and having a sharpened elongated edge closely adjacent and parallel to the plane of rotation of said cutting blades, the elongated inner surface of said stationary blade joining said bottom wall and being curved upwardly conforming to the shape of said roller and spaced forwardly thereof, whereby said compacted refuse is delivered upwardly to said cutting blades.

4. In a refuse disposal apparatus, a chambered member having a refuse receiving downwardly inclined bottom wall, an enclosed downwardly depending disposal passageway beyond the lower end of said bottom wall opening into said chambered member and adapted for communication with a sewer drain, a roller rotatably journaled within said chambered member transversely of its length spaced above and cooperable with said bottom wall adjacent said passageway for compressing and moving said refuse towards said passageway, an upright solid wheel rotatably journaled within said passageway substantially closing off said chambered member from said passageway, a plurality of angularly related elongated cutting blades secured within the inner face of said wheel with their cutting edges projecting therefrom closely adjacent the end of said bottom wall and movable in a plane parallel to the roller axis for finely cutting said refuse into small particles V 7 carrying the same downwardly through said passageway, an elongated horizontally arranged cutting blade transversely. secured within said chambered member. at the lower end of said bottom wall and having a sharpened elongated edge closely adjacent and parallelto the plane of rotation of said cutting blades, a second elongated horizontally arranged cutting blade below saidtbottom wall adjacent said passageway parallel to and below said first cutting blade and having a sharpened longitudinal edge closely adjacent the plane of rotation of said cutting blades to further cut said refuse as it is moved downwardly, and an elongated twater tube below said bottom wall opening at one'end in the upper surface in said bottom wall'and extending forwardly between said stationary cutting blades for delivering additional water to said lower blade, said wheel and passageway. a

5. In a refuse disposal apparatus, a chambered member having a refuse receiving downwardly inclined bottom wall, an enclosed downwardly depending disposal passageway beyond the lower end of said bottom wall opening into said chambered member and adapted for communication with a sewer drain, a roller rotatably journaled within said chambered member transversely of its length spaced 7 above and cooperable with said bottom wall adjacent said passageway for compressing and moving said refuse towards said passageway, an upright solid wheel rotatably journaled within said passageway substantially closing 05 said chambered member from said passageway, a plurality of angularly related elongated cutting blades secured within the inner face of said wheel with their cutting edges projecting therefrom closely adjacent the end of said bottom wall and movable in a plane paralleltto the roller axis for finely cutting said refuse into small particles carrying the same downwardly through said passageway, laterally perforated water pipes connectedwith a water source and extending across and adjacent upper portions of said chambered member for supplying a continuous stream of water to said chambered member, to

a said roller and to said passageway, and additional outlets joined to said water pipes and extending into said enclosed passageway at its upper end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 19,425 Hickok Feb. 23,1858

- 234,183 Heebner Nov. 9, 1880 263,226 Rogers Aug. 22, 1882 346,200 'Hamacek Julyr27, 1886 589,049 Warner Aug. 31, 1897 592,855 White Nov.'2, 1897 678,837 Grifiin July 16, 1901 2,105,759 Stevenson Jan; 18,1938 2,591,388 Trotter Apr. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 374,808 Germany May 2, 1923 513,498 Germany Nov. 28, 1930 

